Awaking after finally getting some sleep, it was time to start the journey in earnest. Breakfast was served buffet style with a wide variety and plenty to eat. We then embarked on our first excursion.
We boarded our bus and began our tour of Budapest
. The driving tour took us past many of the older parts of the city, with very ornate buildings. Budapest is actually divided into two parts by the Danube River. There is the Pest section with many of the government buildings including the Parliament Building. Also located in this area are the Opera House, the Synagogue, and the Heroes Memorial. Pest is the flat area of Budapest.
Buda, on the other side of the river, is the hilly side of the city. On these hills are perched St. Matthias Church, the Fisherman Bastion, which was built to commemorate the 1000th anniversary of the Magyar arrival in Europe , the Gellert Baths and the Royal Palace. These buildings sit high above the city overlooking the Danube and the Pest side of the city. Near St. Matthias Church stands the equestrian statue of St. Stephen, the first king of Hungary. The architecture of Budapest had many influences including the gothic architects, the Turks and the Soviets who occupied Hungary after WWII.
The top of the hills in Buda can be reached by road or cable car, and the two sides of the city are joined by nine bridges, two of which are the Bridge of Chains and the Elizabeth Bridge.
Later in the afternoon, we set sail up the Danube toward Vienna, which we will reach tomorrow afternoon. As we traveled up the Danube we passed small towns dipping down to the banks of the river and watched the residents enjoying a summer day at river's edge.
The day ended with the Captain’s Welcome Dinner as we continued to wend our way up the Danube.
Around Budapest
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Danube River, Trnavský, Slovakia
Other Entries
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1Getting Ready
Aug 133 days priorJarrettsville, United Statesphoto_camera1videocam 0comment 0 -
2Across the Big Pond
Aug 142 days priorLondon, United Kingdomphoto_camera7videocam 0comment 0 -
3On to Budapest
Aug 151 day priorBudapest, Hungaryphoto_camera17videocam 0comment 4 -
4Around Budapest
Aug 16Danube River, Slovakiaphoto_camera26videocam 0comment 2 -
5Waltzing to Vienna
Aug 171 day laterVienna, Austriaphoto_camera33videocam 0comment 2 -
6Enjoying Vienna
Aug 182 days laterVienna, Austriaphoto_camera23videocam 0comment 1 -
7Little Durnstein and the Wachau Valley
Aug 193 days laterDürnstein, Austriaphoto_camera20videocam 0comment 1 -
8Into the Czech Republic
Aug 204 days laterCesky Krumlov, Czech Republicphoto_camera30videocam 0comment 0 -
9Wandering Through Regensburg
Aug 215 days laterRegensburg, Germanyphoto_camera25videocam 0comment 0 -
10Out and About in Nurnberg
Aug 226 days laterNurnberg, Germanyphoto_camera29videocam 0comment 1 -
11Bopping through Bamberg
Aug 237 days laterBamberg, Germanyphoto_camera26videocam 0comment 0 -
12The Walled City of Rothenburg
Aug 248 days laterRothenburg ob der Tauber, Germanyphoto_camera28videocam 0comment 1 -
13Walking Wertheim
Aug 259 days laterWertheim, Germanyphoto_camera23videocam 0comment 0 -
14Hiking Heidelberg
Aug 2610 days laterHeidelberg, Germanyphoto_camera35videocam 0comment 0 -
15Rudesheim and the Castles of the Rhine
Aug 2711 days laterRüdesheim, Germanyphoto_camera44videocam 0comment 0 -
16A Morning in Cologne
Aug 2812 days laterCologne, Germanyphoto_camera13videocam 0comment 0 -
17Around Amsterdam
Aug 2913 days laterAmsterdam, Netherlandsphoto_camera24videocam 0comment 0 -
18Heading Home
Aug 3014 days laterJarrettsville, United Statesphoto_camera0videocam 0comment 0
Comments

2025-02-09
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Laura
2011-08-21
Gorgeous pictures! And your outfit looks lovely, Mom! Keep having a great time!